Better Late than Never

Jesse and I talked about starting a blog shortly after we got engaged at the beginning of last summer but...it never happened. Mostly because we were a little distracted with putting a wedding together and getting back to school and just enjoying being around each other again after being separated for 2 years. But - I have decided that it is time to get my rear in gear and start a blog since I'm horrible at journaling. I'm hoping that I will be better at recording things on the computer than I am at recording them in a book. We'll see I guess. Cross your fingers for me...

But anyways...to catch everyone up a little. Jesse and I got married on October 22, 2011. Somehow I managed to pull him all the way through the experience with 0 hesitation from him. Even I was a tad surprised that I had no hint of cold feet. *Shrug* I guess that we have just both known for a long time that this is what was supposed to happen and we were ready to be moving forward. I remember breaking away from everyone one of the nights before our wedding in that week to go up to the temple and read our patriarchal blessings together. It was a wonderful feeling to be there on those sacred grounds, with the glow from the temple projecting enough light to read those together. It was also amazing to see how linked our blessings were. Not to sound cliche, but...they seemed to complete each other. Things in his complemented elements of mine and vice verse. Perhaps that is one reason we did not wake up the next morning with cold feet; we knew that we were supposed to go through with our wedding.

And so we found ourselves going to the temple at 8am on October 22. I had never been so beautified in my life. Bonnie was amazing enough to spend an hour or two on my hair and a friend of hers, who didn't even know me until a few days before that, was also kind enough to get up at 5 in the morning to come to my apt and do my make-up. Thank goodness for these two angels because otherwise...I would not have looked anything close to a bride. It would have just been me in a fancy dress haha. Oh! That reminds me of the dress. I  still am slightly surprised at the dress I chose. It was beaded, and poofy, and just GORGEOUS! I fell in love with it the first time I saw it and was pleasantly surprised to find that it looked good on me. I have never felt so beautiful in all my life than when I was wearing that dress, married to my wonderful husband.

We had a very brief time away from Rexburg to go home for our reception and see so many of the wonderful people from Corvallis Ward who helped us become who we are now. It was funny to hear so many of them saying variations of, "We saw this coming when you two were just in high school." Of course, we always had the thought in the back, and sometimes not-so-back, parts of our minds. It was a wonderful weekend.

And then we got back to real life very quickly. We didn't have money or time for a honeymoon so we immediately reentered the "real" world of school, work, and homework. Jesse more so than me as...I wasn't working at the time. I spend a few hours on campus each day and then went home and...waited until it was time to pick Jesse up often almost 6 hours later. Those were long days. I am so grateful to now have a job. It takes a lot of pressure off of him and gives us more time to spend together which is very nice. The weeks passed quickly and we soon found ourselves settling into a routine.

Not long after we had a routine going, the Lord decided it was time to make some changes...to bring growth...to this newlywed couple. We were busy, but we were content. It is dangerous to be content haha. The bishopric was changing in our ward and one Sunday afternoon Jesse got a call from the Steak Presidency wondering if we could come in and meet with them. Jesse and I teased about it being a bishopric calling in one of the campus wards or something, but we both just figured it was some kind of get-to-know-you meeting. We were wrong. Once we got there and sat down in the office, the Stake President visited with us some, but did not wait very long to extend the calling of Bishopric 2nd Counselor to Jesse. We were both stunned to say the least. We never thought that as newlyweds, he would be given such a calling. But here we were and of course he accepted after the Stake President had cleared it with me.

It has been difficult at times to get used to my husband being in the bishopric. Nothing in my background ever prepared me for it and it still hits hard sometimes during his late nights out doing visits and while sitting alone during sacrament meeting. But...today at church I heard something that I've been needing to hear. One of the brothers who was giving a talk is new in the ward and spoke on ministering. It has been a focus in our ward since the new Bishop came in. He spoke of how he and his new wife, only married 6 weeks ago, had been having a very hard time finding which ward they were to be attending. Many wards had told them that they didn't belong in their ward, but had not given them any help in finding the correct one either. He continued to say that after coming to church at our ward, they had been quickly welcomed by the Bishop and the next thing they knew, their records were in our ward. He continued on, and stated how much it meant to him to have had the Bishopric come and visit him and his wife in their home on Tuesday night. They had been out very late that night and I had had a difficult time with it. But hearing how much it meant to this brother at church, helped me to see more of what Jesse is doing while he is out and it brought some calm to my heart.

But back to catching you guys up...I GRADUATED! It is so wonderful to be done!!! I even have my diploma and everything now. It's legit haha. I got a job the day before I graduated and now I work full time while Jesse is at school. The new job was intimidating at first. I had a lot to learn, but I caught on very quickly and now it already feels like I've been working there for a year or more. Jeremy, my boss, is still a little stunned at how fast I learned everything, but is very pleased with the fact that it took about 1/3 of the time to train me that he was expecting to spend training the newby. Jesse is getting a touch burned out with school and all of his homework, but deep down he's still addicted to learning and he loves his subject. He's going to make an amazing teacher.

That about gets you caught up. There are many things that have happened, but you've gotten the main points.  From here on out, the posts should not be nearly as long. Again....cross your fingers cuz...I could be finding myself as inconsistent with this as I am at journaling and so the next post will just be another catch up. I hope not, but we shall see...